Teaching multiculturalism in the classroom is important. Especially when the total number of international students enrolled in schools in the United States has been on the rise in the past few years, according to College View, a worldwide recruiting service. At the basic level, multicultural education provides a fundamental education for all students, with the purpose of eliminating discrimination because of ethnic origin and background. By incorporating many cultures into the classroom, schools can celebrate diversity, learn about cultures around the world and raise awareness. Here are four steps to bring multiculturalism into your classroom. 1.      Provide a basic education for [...]

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At the basic level, multicultural education provides a fundamental education for all students, with the purpose of eliminating discrimination because of ethnic origin and background. By incorporating many cultures into the classroom, schools can celebrate diversity, learn about cultures around the world and raise awareness. But multicultural education also includes an intercultural approach where many perspectives are taken into account. “Successful learning requires an intercultural approach where students are responsible for listening (and reading and experiencing) to understand–both the perspectives of others (peers, authors, faculty) and for understanding their own perspectives and how they acquired them,” Lee Knefelkamp, Professor of [...]

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Definition This curriculum method revolves around developing “good character” in students by practicing and teaching moral values and decision making. Basic Elements Character education assumes that schools don’t just have the responsibility to help students get “smart,” they also have the responsibility to help them cultivate basic moral values to guide their behavior throughout life. Today’s emphasis on character education is propelled by the decline in family influence, downward trends in youth character, and the emerging consensus of shared ethical values. Character education teaches students to understand, commit to, and act on shared ethical values–in other words, “know the good, [...]

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Definition This philosophy about curriculum–in both language arts and a broader, more general program–is based on recent research of how children acquire oral and written language skills. Basic Elements Because knowledge doesn’t exist separately from the people who construct it, whole language practitioners don’t see curriculum as a prescribed course of study or a particular set of instructional materials. Instead, they see it as the cognitive experience each learner has. Whole language doesn’t just include the specific content being thought about, it also includes how a student “demonstrates” a particular task, as well as what he or she expects from [...]

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Definition In a core curriculum, a predetermined body of skills, knowledge, and abilities is taught to all students. Discussion The core curriculum movement assumes there is a uniform body of knowledge that all students should know. Presumably, this curriculum will produce educated and responsible graduates for the community. Unfortunately, there often isn’t much consensus on who is the community and who speaks for the community. In fact, there is a growing conflict about what topics a core curriculum should contain. Some advocates would limit the core to basic academic subjects like English, math, science, and government, while others would include [...]

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Definition In outcome-based learning, all school programs and instructional efforts are designed to have produced specific, lasting results in students by the time they leave school. Basic Elements One of the leading examples of an outcome-based learning program is the Outcome-Driven Developmental Model (ODDM) of the school system in Johnson City, New York. The principles followed by outcome-based learning practitioners include: Clarity of focus around significant, culminating exit outcomes, which are defined by each school Expansion of available time and resources so that all students successfully reach the exit outcomes Consistent, high expectations of 100% success Explicit relationships between any [...]

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Definition In a core curriculum, a predetermined body of skills, knowledge, and abilities is taught to all students. Discussion The core curriculum movement assumes there is a uniform body of knowledge that all students should know. Presumably, this curriculum will produce educated and responsible graduates for the community. Unfortunately, there often isn’t much consensus on who is the community and who speaks for the community. In fact, there is a growing conflict about what topics a core curriculum should contain. Some advocates would limit the core to basic academic subjects like English, math, science, and government, while others would include [...]

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Definition In outcome-based learning, all school programs and instructional efforts are designed to have produced specific, lasting results in students by the time they leave school. Basic Elements One of the leading examples of an outcome-based learning program is the Outcome-Driven Developmental Model (ODDM) of the school system in Johnson City, New York. The principles followed by outcome-based learning practitioners include: Clarity of focus around significant, culminating exit outcomes, which are defined by each school Expansion of available time and resources so that all students successfully reach the exit outcomes Consistent, high expectations of 100% success Explicit relationships between any [...]

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